A local businessman of Asian origin who was convicted for failure to declare carrying more than $10,000 pa'anga in cash, at Fua'amotu International Airport last year, was fined at the Supreme Court on May 13.

Mr Qian Xiyun from Longolongo appeared before Hon Mr Justice Cato and was sentenced to pay a fine of $15,000 pa'anga within 30 days. Failure will result in imprisonment for six-months.

The accused who was charged under section 97 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, was found guilty on this failure to declare currency but got off on two others of bribery of a government servant and money laundering.

Hon Mr Justice Cato in his verdict on March 22, found there was no prima facie case against the money laundering and bribery charges.

He said, the Prosecution led no evidence as to the origin of the cash the accused carried with him when departing.

This offence occured on May 15, 2018 at the passport control booth at the departure lounge.

A customs officer was processing departing passengers for a flight to Fiji, when the accused approached her after completing security screening by aviation officers. The accused handed the customs officer his passport and passenger departure card.

The accused declared on his departure card that he was not carrying more than $10,000 pa’anga in cash, or its equivalent in foreign currency. Several requests of him by the officer as to whether he was carrying cash, to which he had responded that he was not, eventually revealing that he was in fact carrying on him and in his clothes a large sum of money in Tongan, U.S and other currencies. 

Meanwhile, the Court confirmed today the accused had paid his fine.